Tá an dan seo thios scríofa le filí Albanach Derick Thompson. Tá sé foilsithe insan Faber Book of Twentieth Century Scottish Poetry. Cha fágainn sé slan le Dun na nGall, ach leis an teanga binn den cheantair sin.Mar cainteoir Gaeilge na hAlban, biodh an cainiuint aitiuil seo go ana cosuil a cuid teanga fein, no is é sin an mead a duirt uncal do mo chuid agus mé i mo paiste beag, thartfa seacht bliaina d’aois. Cha raibh sé abalta an Gaeilge Atha Cliath den fear an phoist (mar a duirt sé) a thuigbheal chomh maith leis an teanga de iascairi Albanacha a bheas ag cuir isteach leis an cuan ó am go h-am.
Dun nan Gall
Far a bheil a’ Ghàidhlig sgrìobht air na creagan
an sin dh’fhan i,
is pàisdean luideagach ga caitheamh, a stiallan sgaoilte air na rubhachan an iar,
os cionn na mara
far a bheil grian na h-Eireann a’ dol sios,
is grian Ameireagaidh ag èirigh le èigheachd’s caithream
Cha bheathaich feur a chànain seo
chan fhàs i sultmhor an guirt no ‘n iodhlainn;
fòghnaidh dhi beagan coirce ‘s eòrna,
cuirear grad fhuadachachd;
chan iarr i ach, cleas nan gobhar, a bhith spoghail
os cionn muir gorm, air na bideanan biorach
Gus an tog a’ chlann luideagach leoth’ i
air bàta-smùid a Shasainn,
no a Ghlaschu, far a fiagh i bàs,
an achlais a peathar –
Gàidhlig rìoghail na h-Albann ‘s na h-Eireann
‘na h-ìobairt-reite air altair beairteis.
Mick is founding editor of Slugger. He has written papers on the impacts of the Internet on politics and the wider media and is a regular guest and speaking events across Ireland, the UK and Europe. Twitter: @MickFealty
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